Envelop-feeding attachment.



T. A. MQGALL.

ENVELOP FEEDING ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED NOV.17,1911.

Patented June 30,1914.

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II II iiifnedaeat [j T. A. MoGALL.

ENVELOP FEEDING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1911.

1,101,806, Patented June 30, 1m

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' Mam ii: are afar T. A. McCALL.

ENVELOP FEEDING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1911.

Patented June so 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Milka UNITED STATES PATENT OFFOE.

THOMAS A. MQCALEL, OFCINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL AUTOMATIC TYPEW'BIITER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ENvELor-rEEDrN ar'rncmviitiir.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS A: MCCALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and .useful Improvement in Envelop-Feeding Attachments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description;

This invention is a removable attachment especially adapted for use in connection with mechanism for automatically operating typewriters, such, for example, as forms the subject matter of Patent No. 996,993, granted to me July 4, 1911. By the mechanism shown in that patent the various movable parts of the typewriter, including the keys and the proper feeding rolls, are caused to operate in proper sequence (determined by a perforated controller strip) by suitable mechanism therein shown. Such mechanism is especially adapted for typewritin'g form letters, and applying a distinctive addressto each.

The object of the present invention is to provide means by which the envelope to be used with such form letters may be automatically withdrawn from a supply and fed into the embrace of the paper feeding rolls, vhereby they may be addressed by means of his 6r some other suitable typewriter opcrating mechanism.

The invention is a removable-attachment, and consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the drawing, as definitely pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism in which this invention is embodied, said drawing showing the relative position of said mechanism and the paper feed rolls of the typewriter. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said mechanism; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the lower part of the mechanism shown in the other two figures; and Fig. i is a sectional plan in the plane of liIIe4-4; of Fig. '1.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the frame of the typewriting machine. B represents a vertical post which is in fixed positio relative to said frame. 0

represents th platen roll of the typewriter,

and C represents a roll which, in association with the platen roll, constitutes the paper feeding mechanism of the typewriting machine. All of these parts are f well Specification of Iietters Patent.

Application filed November 17, 1911.

Serial No. 660,768.

known construction, and are, in fact, shown in the prior patent referred to in their proper relations to each other.

1) represents an inclined feed chute which is reinovably secured to the post B, said chute having a bracket arm d which embraces said post and a socket piece d which fits onto the top of the post. A set screw d2 may removably secure the attachment to said post. The chute has one fixed side wall (I and one movable side wall d the latter being fixed totwo rods d which are movable horizontally endwise through fixed bracket guides F secured to the bottom of the chute. By moving these bars in one direction or the other through said bracket guides the movable side (it will be moved toward or from the fixed side d and into proper relation'thereto. The movable side should occupy a position relative to the fixed side, such that the distance between them will be slightly greater than the length of the envelops which are to be fed to the type writing machines. The front edges of the two sides (Z (i are out so as to lie in a vertical plane whose projection passeslbe tween the two rolls 0, C. Flanges d, d fixed to these vertical front edges of the two sides extend toward each other but not down to the bottom of the chute. They will therefore be in positions such that they will engage with the sides, above the flap,

of the front envelop in the chute, and check its downward movement, and hold it in proper position to be operated upon by the mechanism to be described, but will allow the flap of th envelop to spring forward. A vertical frame member E is fixed to the chute. It is provided with two guide bracket's c, which serve as guides for the vertically movable rod 7. This rod has secured to its lower end a feed bar G which slides against the front ends of the two sides 4, d, and lies substantially in the vertical plane which passes between the two feed rolls G and C. A- cylinder H is fixed to the two brackets e by means of caps e, and this cylinder, which occupies a vertical position, contains two Patented June 3 0, 191d.

pistons J J which are connected together bar G and its rod 7.

air may be exhausted from either end by means of substantially the same means for this purpose which are shown in the prior patent mentioned. It is proposed to employ in connection with these two pipes the same valve mechanisms substantially, which are shown in said prior patent, and particularly illustrated in Fig. 16 thereof. One familiar with the mechanism of said prior patent will understand that, under the control of the perforated controller strip, this valvewill be shifted at the proper time so as to connect one pipe and then the othe with the air exhausting mechanism, which will, of course, result in the movement up and down of the two pistons J, J and the parts connected therewith, particularly the feed The pipes K, K are separably connected with air pipes K K which are to be connected with the valve n'iec-hanism referred to.

It will be understood that the envelops E 'in the chute rest on their top edges; that is,

the edges to which the'loose flap is secured; that they stand in vertical positions with the flaps on their forward sides. The flap 6* of the front-envelop will spring outward a little so that as the feed bar (ir descends it will pass between the flap and the envelop. During its downward movement it will draw the envelop forward a little, carrying it beyond the front edge of the bottom of the chute, and will then carry it downward and de liver it between and into the embrace of the two feed rolls C, O.

A guard plate M is fixed to the chute, and extends across in front of the lower edge thereof, and extend down to a point near the said feed rolls C, O. The feed bar G moves up and down between the end of the chute and this guard plate. Therefore when an envelop is being fed downward by the feed bar, this guard plate keeps the fiap c from straightening out (Z. r. by bending forward) and therefore the envelop and flap will be properly fed between the two feed rolls.

From the foregoing description it Will be understood that after a suitable number of cnvclops have been addressed, this entire mechanism as a unit may be removed by merely pulling it up olf of the supporting post which is also adapted to support the paper feeding mechanism shown in the prior patent referred to.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. ,ln mechanism for feeding envelops to the feed rolls of a typewriter, the combination of a downwardly inclined chute adapted to be rcmovably secured in operative relation to said feed rolls of the typewriter, a vertical frame member which is permanently fixed to the front end of said chute, a vertically movable feed plate. and mechanism for arouses operating the same, which parts are secured to and supported by said vertical frame member.

2. In mechanism for feeding envelops to the feed rolls of a typewriter, the combination of a forwardly and downwardly inclincd chute adapted to be removably attached to a fixed support, a vertical frame member connected with said chute, a vertically reciprocating feed bar which is movable in a path adjacent: to the lower-end of said chute, a vertical cylinder'iixed to said frame member, a piston therein, and connections between said piston and feed bar.

3. 1n mechanism for feeding envelops to the feed rolls of a typewriting machine, the combination of a downwardly and forwardly inclined chute adapted for attachment to a fixed support, a vertical frame member connected with said chute, a vertically reciprocating feed bar which is movable in a path adjacent to the lower end of said chute, a vertical cylinder lixed to said frame member and having a vertical slot through its wall, two pistons fitted in said cylinder and connected together, the connecting member having an arm which extends out through said slot, and a stem connected with said projecting member and with said feed bar.

4. In mechanism for feeding envelops to the feed rolls of a typcwriting machine, the combination of a downwardly and forwardly inclined chute adapted for attach ment to a fixed support and having two side members whose front ends are substantially vertical and have inwardly extended flanges which do not extend down to the bottom of the chute, a guard plate extended across the front of said chute and extending below the same, a vertically reciproeating feed plate which moves between said guard plate and the end of the chute, a frame member fixed to said chute, and mechanism fixed to said frame member for operating said feed bar.

5. In mechanism for feeding, cnvclops to the feed rolls of a tvpcwritiup; machine, the combination of a downwardly inclined chute, means for removablv securing said chute in operative position with respect to the feed rolls of a tvpcwriting machine. a feed plate which is movable vertically in a vertical plane adjacent to the lower end of said chute, and mechanism wholly supported by said chute for moving said feed plate up and down.

in testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my sigi'iature in the presence of two wit ncsscs.

THOMAS A. \tcOi till.

\Vitnesses C. E. Hoovna, M. E. Ronnnrs. 

